Space

When working with recorded sound, Space becomes a powerful element within compositions. Both the positioning of sound, and the impression of space can be really important.

Position within Space – Using Panning

All sounds come towards us from a specific location, and therefore space is one of the key elements in the way that we understand and relate to sounds.

If we listen to a natural soundscape then we will hear that many sounds come to us from different locations, and that when sounds come from the same direction they overlap and compete with one another.

This is an important fact to remember when combining and creating your own pieces with sound. Panning is a very simple but incredibly powerful tool. It allows you to move sounds apart from one another, to spread and separate them.

Space and the Impression of Scale – Volume Automation

Because space is really important to sounds, we can make pieces that are solely about space. We can create works that transport the listener between different sonic spaces.

We can think of these as similar to perspective changes in film, where the camera zooms in to a specific location, or flies through into a new space. It is possible to change the relative scale of objects by increasing them in volume, and bringing them towards the listener.

This sound begins quietly and is positioned slightly off to the left. This gives the impression that the sound is far away and in a specific location. As the volume increases the impression is that the sound gets closer.